Why Sponsor Golf? 

Golf is a sport of its own. It is one of the few sports where players of different levels can compete against each other in the so-called. It would be harder to do the same, for example, in racket games or in any team sport. A golf handicap system, in which a more inexperienced player gets a higher handicap, allows a player to compete against a player with a lower handicap. When you start playing golf, your handicap will be 54 strokes. Handicap means that 54 strokes are added to the ideal score for the field, which is usually 72 strokes, and with that total score, the player achieves his own par score. Each player should play at least four rounds per year, and the result will be reported to their own club so that the handicap is adapted to the player’s skills. As skills develop through active practice and play, the handicap can drop very quickly. 

Sport of Equality

Another way of leveling in competitions is with different tee boxes in the field. They are usually marked in three colors, red, yellow, and white. Red is generally for women, yellow for men, and white for more pro-level players. The length of the stroke distance increases as you move from red to white. Golf is one of the few sports in which men and women can compete on an equal footing. The Asian Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET) hosted a tournament in Thailand in April where men and women played against each other in the same competition.  

For Oivan, equality is a significant value. That was one of the reasons we chose golf from different sports and decided to sponsor Janne Kaske, a Finn who plays on a professional tour in Asia. Our goal is to find also a female golfer in the future that we could support. 

Practise, Practise, Practise 

Developing in golf requires a very long and disciplined life. Without training, you will not become a master, and we also see an analogy for Oivan’s own software professionals. Our own skills must be constantly developed because the software industry is evolving quickly in terms of technologies and available services. Oivan has a “Grow With Oivan” program that allows all our employees to have ongoing training. In addition, our demanding customers require that we remain competitive and bring the latest technologies and tools to our customers. 

We signed a sponsorship agreement with Janne during a visit to our Bangkok office. It turned out that the gym used by Janne is in the same building where our current office is located. Also in the picture are our Country Manager, Boy Saengravee Papan, and Dmitry Kolesnik, Head of Business Development.

Janne will be featured in our personnel and corporate events during 2022, and we will also report on Janne’s competitions on our own channels. 

Next, let Janne tell his own golf story and how he ended up touring the Asian Tour, and what he likes about Thailand, where Oivan has had an office for over ten years. 

The Beginning of Janne’s Golf Career

I started playing golf at the age of six years when my parents took me to the golf course. They had just started playing, and I would spend three to four hours on the range alone practicing while they played.  

By the time I was ten years old, I had dropped my handicap to single digits, playing mainly rounds and small club tournaments at my home course. I played my first national-level tournaments when I was 12 and got selected to the junior national team as their youngest member. Around that time, I realized that maybe my skill was something special. You know how they always ask you in school *what do you wanna be when you grow up?”. Since 12 years old, the only answer I’ve ever given was to become a professional golfer. 

To the Asian Tour 

After a successful junior career, I was offered a sports scholarship to play for Augusta State University in the USA. That was a great experience, getting to compete against the best amateur players in the world, and it prepared me to turn pro after my graduation. I spent my first four years as a pro playing on the challenge-level tours in Europe. After that, I figured it would be worth taking a shot at it in Asia. I flew over in 2014 and haven’t looked back since! My game suits Asia very well, and I’ve enjoyed more success here. After a few years on the Asian Development Tour, I finally earned full playing rights on the main tour called Asian Tour. As the name suggests, we play mainly in Asia, but there are also some tournaments in Europe and the Middle East.

The Good and the Bad Seasons 

Golf is a game where good and bad shots are a part of every day; good tournaments and bad tournaments are a part of every season, and good and bad seasons are a part of every career. What I love about golf is the self-fulfillment you feel after playing well. You hit all the shots and made the putts; no one else can do it for you. The flipside is the moments when you struggle, even though you give it all you’ve got. I’m actually in a spot right now, as I’m writing this, where I’m not playing as well as I know I can. But I know how sweet the feeling will be when I climb back to the top from here! 

My best achievement in golf would undoubtedly be my second-place finish in a big Asian Tour event in Korea in 2019. Although I’ve won plenty of times, the feeling of being in the battle that week with thousands of fans watching you play was a memory that I will never forget. Another great memory is getting to play Augusta National, arguably the most famous golf course in the world and the home of the biggest golf tournament, The Masters. 

Living and Practising in Thailand 

Living and practicing in Thailand has given me fantastic facilities and opportunities to improve my game. I practice golf for about 5 to 8 hours, 6 times a week, and then add a gym routine to that 5 days a week. That adds up to a pretty entire workday. Golf courses in Thailand are great, and the weather is pleasant all year round; as great as Finland is, there is no way you could play professional golf spending wintertime over there. I also love living in Thailand, and Bangkok has become one of my favorite cities. 

My strength in golf is my long drives and the part that needs the most improvement in my putting. My driving distance varies based on the conditions (wind, temperature, downhill). The longest one I’ve hit was over 400 yards with a lot of help from current and firm ground, but I average about 320 yards in neutral conditions. 

Lastly, I wanna thank everyone at Oivan for supporting me! Although it is an individual sport, everyone needs a team around them to help them play their best.